diff --git a/doc/src/Library_config.rst b/doc/src/Library_config.rst
index 532bd5cfa0..0c1e254537 100644
--- a/doc/src/Library_config.rst
+++ b/doc/src/Library_config.rst
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ This section documents the following functions:
 - :cpp:func:`lammps_has_style`
 - :cpp:func:`lammps_style_count`
 - :cpp:func:`lammps_style_name`
-- :cpp:func:`lammps_has_group`
-- :cpp:func:`lammps_group_count`
-- :cpp:func:`lammps_group_name`
 - :cpp:func:`lammps_has_id`
 - :cpp:func:`lammps_id_count`
 - :cpp:func:`lammps_id_name`
@@ -132,21 +129,6 @@ a safer approach.
 
 -----------------------
 
-.. doxygenfunction:: lammps_has_group
-   :project: progguide
-
------------------------
-
-.. doxygenfunction:: lammps_group_count
-   :project: progguide
-
------------------------
-
-.. doxygenfunction:: lammps_group_name
-   :project: progguide
-
------------------------
-
 .. doxygenfunction:: lammps_has_id
    :project: progguide
 
diff --git a/src/library.cpp b/src/library.cpp
index ebbebff2c1..3192cf4eef 100644
--- a/src/library.cpp
+++ b/src/library.cpp
@@ -4049,86 +4049,12 @@ int lammps_style_name(void *handle, const char *category, int idx,
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-/** Check if a group with a given name has been defined
- *
-\verbatim embed:rst
-This function checks if a group with the provided *name* is defined
-in the current LAMMPS instance.
-\endverbatim
- *
- * \param handle   pointer to a previously created LAMMPS instance cast to ``void *``.
- * \param  name      name of the style
- * \return           1 if defined, 0 if not.
- */
-int lammps_has_group(void *handle, const char *name)
-{
-  LAMMPS *lmp = (LAMMPS *)handle;
-
-  int ngroup = lmp->group->ngroup;
-  char **groups = lmp->group->names;
-
-  for (int i=0; i < ngroup; ++i)
-    if (strcmp(groups[i],name) == 0) return 1;
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
-/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-/** Count the number of currently defined groups
- *
- * This function counts how many groups are defined in the
- * current LAMMPS instance.
- *
- * \param handle   pointer to a previously created LAMMPS instance cast to ``void *``.
- * \return number of styles in category
- */
-int lammps_group_count(void *handle)
-{
-  LAMMPS *lmp = (LAMMPS *)handle;
-
-  return lmp->group->ngroup;
-}
-
-/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
-/** Look up the name of a group by index in the list of groups.
- *
- * This function copies the name of the group with the index *idx* into
- * the provided C-style string buffer.  The length of the buffer must be
- * provided as *buf_size* argument.  If the name of the group exceeds the
- * length of the buffer, it will be truncated accordingly.  If the index
- * is out of range, the function returns 0 and *buffer* is set to an empty
- * string, otherwise 1 is returned.
- *
- * \param handle   pointer to a previously created LAMMPS instance cast to ``void *``.
- * \param idx      index of the group in the list of groups (0 <= idx < group count)
- * \param buffer   string buffer to copy the name of the style to
- * \param buf_size size of the provided string buffer
- * \return 1 if successful, otherwise 0
- */
-int lammps_group_name(void *handle, int idx, char *buffer, int buf_size) {
-  LAMMPS *lmp = (LAMMPS *)handle;
-
-  int ngroup = lmp->group->ngroup;
-  char **groups = lmp->group->names;
-  if ((idx >=0) && (idx < ngroup)) {
-    strncpy(buffer, groups[idx], buf_size);
-    return 1;
-  }
-
-  buffer[0] = '\0';
-  return 0;
-}
-
-/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
 /** Check if a specific ID exists in the current LAMMPS instance
  *
 \verbatim embed:rst
 This function checks if the current LAMMPS instance a *category* ID of
 the given *name* exists.  Valid categories are: *compute*\ , *dump*\ ,
-*fix*\ , *molecule*\ , *region*\ , and *variable*\ .
+*fix*\ , *group*\ , *molecule*\ , *region*\ , and *variable*\ .
 \endverbatim
  *
  * \param  handle    pointer to a previously created LAMMPS instance cast to ``void *``.
@@ -4157,6 +4083,12 @@ int lammps_has_id(void *handle, const char *category, const char *name) {
     for (int i=0; i < nfix; ++i) {
       if (strcmp(name,fix[i]->id) == 0) return 1;
     }
+  } else if (strcmp(category,"group") == 0) {
+    int ngroup = lmp->group->ngroup;
+    char **groups = lmp->group->names;
+    for (int i=0; i < ngroup; ++i) {
+      if (strcmp(groups[i],name) == 0) return 1;
+    }
   } else if (strcmp(category,"molecule") == 0) {
     int nmolecule = lmp->atom->nmolecule;
     Molecule **molecule = lmp->atom->molecules;
@@ -4202,6 +4134,8 @@ int lammps_id_count(void *handle, const char *category) {
     return lmp->output->ndump;
   } else if (strcmp(category,"fix") == 0) {
     return lmp->modify->nfix;
+  } else if (strcmp(category,"group") == 0) {
+    return lmp->group->ngroup;
   } else if (strcmp(category,"molecule") == 0) {
     return lmp->atom->nmolecule;
   } else if (strcmp(category,"region") == 0) {
@@ -4249,6 +4183,11 @@ int lammps_id_name(void *handle, const char *category, int idx,
       strncpy(buffer, lmp->modify->fix[idx]->id, buf_size);
       return 1;
     }
+  } else if (strcmp(category,"group") == 0) {
+    if ((idx >=0) && (idx < lmp->group->ngroup)) {
+      strncpy(buffer, lmp->group->names[idx], buf_size);
+      return 1;
+    }
   } else if (strcmp(category,"molecule") == 0) {
     if ((idx >=0) && (idx < lmp->atom->nmolecule)) {
       strncpy(buffer, lmp->atom->molecules[idx]->id, buf_size);
diff --git a/src/library.h b/src/library.h
index c365bd9210..8089e51ade 100644
--- a/src/library.h
+++ b/src/library.h
@@ -183,10 +183,6 @@ int lammps_has_style(void *, const char *, const char *);
 int lammps_style_count(void *, const char *);
 int lammps_style_name(void *, const char *, int, char *, int);
 
-int lammps_has_group(void *, const char *);
-int lammps_group_count(void *);
-int lammps_group_name(void *, int, char *, int);
-
 int lammps_has_id(void *, const char *, const char *);
 int lammps_id_count(void *, const char *);
 int lammps_id_name(void *, const char *, int, char *, int);
diff --git a/tools/lammps-shell/lammps-shell.cpp b/tools/lammps-shell/lammps-shell.cpp
index 7fa1e0f931..c1f8182535 100644
--- a/tools/lammps-shell/lammps-shell.cpp
+++ b/tools/lammps-shell/lammps-shell.cpp
@@ -357,12 +357,12 @@ char *group_generator(const char *text, int state)
     static int idx, num, len;
     if (!state) {
         idx = 0;
-        num = lammps_group_count(lmp);
+        num = lammps_id_count(lmp, "group");
         len = strlen(text);
     }
 
     while (idx < num) {
-        lammps_group_name(lmp, idx, buf, buflen);
+        lammps_id_name(lmp, "group", idx, buf, buflen);
         ++idx;
         if ((len == 0) || (strncmp(text, buf, len) == 0)) return dupstring(buf);
     }